"W–wait. Wait."
She leaned forward so quickly that her chair screeched on the floor. Her eyes widened, pupils were practically trembling.
"Gray… don't tell me… you don't know what fireworks are?"
"…No?" Gray blinked.
Selveria's jaw dropped.
"WHAT—?"
She slapped both hands onto the table.
"What were your parents even doing?! How do you not know something as basic as fireworks?!"
People at nearby tables turned their heads from the sudden shout, but Selveria ignored all of them.
She kept going, waving her hands around wildly.
"Have you—have you ever gone to a festival? A summer celebration? A birthday party? Anything with lights? Sounds? Crowds—Gray, anything?!"
Gray stayed completely silent.
Selveria waited, breath high in her chest.
Finally, he answered with one simple word.
"…Never."
Her mouth fell open again.
"…Never?" she repeated, softer this time, like she couldn't believe it.
He nodded once and started thinking about the reasons.
